I bought my 17yo son a 2011 Mazda 3i manual trans. The car has 4995 miles on it and the clutch is fried and flywheel has cracks in it. Naturally they say it is not Mazda's fault and I have to pay the $1450 to fix it. Has anyone heard of a clutch assembly going so fast? What options do I have? Should I replace it with OEM clutch or get something that will hold up better since I can't afford a clutch with every oil change.

My wife has gone through two clutches in our MX5 in 6 months. The issue is not the clutch, the issue is that she is not yet confident enough in her use of the clutch to fully release it. She had driven an automatic previously. In other words, she is 'dragging' or 'riding' the clutch. That wears it out fast.

Thus, with a relatively new 17 year old driver my guess is that similar is happening and they need some more tips on proper use of the clutch. You can install a much more heavy duty clutch, like our choices from Exedy which are stronger yet much LESS expensive than stock, but if they are riding the clutch it will still wear out too fast. I will check on options for the new 2011 Mazda3 and update the website this week.

In addition to my MX-5, I own a 2011 Mazda3 hatchback. I'd had problems with my manual transmissions as well. I've been driving a manual my whole life, so I know its not a matter of inexperience with me. Honestly, the clutch is set up in a strange way, always making the initial Neutral to First change awkward. It is difficult to get rolling, especially aggressively, but even still at regular speeds. Also, I've noticed that if I rev high in first gear and try to put it into second gear (obviously with the clutch), it does a very strange grind. Obviously, the dealership wasn't able to repeat the grind, so they just look at me like I'm crazy.